![\"SycamoreCanyon-07MAR15-02a\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mountainbikebill.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/SycamoreCanyon-07MAR15-02a.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nI started the week off with\u00a0meeting some new and old friends for a spin through Sycamore Canyon<\/a> and then some.\u00a0 There will be some updates on my site in the coming weeks for this area.\u00a0 Biggest takeaway for now is to stay east of the watershed running down the middle of the canyon as the Marines are patrolling their land that is on the west side of the seasonal creek.\u00a0 Instead of parking at the dirt lot near Mast and Medina, park at \u201cHole in the Fence\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 Google Map\u00a0\u00a0 9100-9140 Birchcrest Blvd, Santee, CA 92071 and park near there.\u00a0 This is a neighborhood so remember to be a good visitor in their hood.\u00a0 Be quiet and don\u2019t thump your system.\u00a0\u00a0 Trail starts through the hole in the fence at the end of Birchcrest.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Exploration is good for the soul!<\/p>\n I have been refreshing my knowledge of the Black Mountain<\/a>\u00a0area in preparation for a webpage update and there were a couple of back corner trails that I had not been on in a long time.\u00a0 So an after work ride was in order here.\u00a0 I kinda had lost an appreciation for how much climbing you can get in out here.\u00a0 Often times when I\u2019m researching an area I put together a route that allows me to cover the most trails and trails I have not been on it a while.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0This latest research route I did\u00a0was 14 miles and included 2,900 feet of climbing. No\u00a0wonder\u00a0muscles and\u00a0joints were wanking the next day!<\/p>\n I came across the fellow while out on the trail.\u00a0 Literally! I came across him.\u00a0 When I realized that this big fellow was a snake I was way to close to stop and not prepared to bunny hop over him.\u00a0\u00a0 Boy was he pissed!<\/p>\n Nichol had been out of town for a while so Saturday we took a welcome back cruise\u00a0on familiar ground out at Lake Hodges<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 It was unseasonably warm but as far as I\u2019m concerned there is no time like the present to start getting acclimated to the hot weather.\u00a0 Ahhh, the kind of problems we have to deal with in San Diego.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n